lottie @ novellique

Book Lover Tag

This is a book lover tag which talks about personal reading preferences, which I really liked and decided to do in order to show everyone my reading likes and dislikes. I was inspired by LEAHSBOOKBLOG where I originally saw this tag, and decided to take part.

1: Do you have a specific place for reading?

Usually it’s my bed, since I like to read before I go to sleep, but I am able to read in other places. I suspect over the summer I’ll start varying where I read a lot more – I want to start reading in the garden more since the weather is pretty good at the moment.

2: Bookmarks or random piece of paper?

I prefer bookmarks, but I’m forever leaving them all over the place, so usually I’ll either just try and remember roughly where I was or I’ll use something random lying around. For some time I used a 3-year-old Christmas card. I’ve also started reading eBooks much more which removes the need for bookmarks… Or I’ll try and remember the page I’m on, inevitably resulting in re-reading the same chapter four times before I realise where I am.

3: Can you stop anywhere or do you need to finish a chapter?

This one really depends on the book that I’m reading and the part that I’m at. When I’m reading a really good book, I have trouble even stopping at the end of a chapter, but if the book is boring then of course I can stop anywhere.

4: Do you eat or drink while reading?

I usually drink tea (yes, I am a walking British stereotype) or water but I don’t usually eat while reading – unless it was an eBook, although I’ve never been in a situation where I’ve been eating while reading. Books are nice and so is food, so why try and do both at once?

5: Music or TV while reading?

Sometimes music but very rarely TV – if there was something on in the background that someone else was watching then I’d be fine, but I wouldn’t sit down to watch a TV show whilst reading – there’d be no point. I don’t listen to music very often now, although I used to.

6: One book at a time or several?

Many. Having a huge pile of attractive books to read really isn’t helping the situation as every time I pick up a book, I instantly want to read it and every other book like it. I’ve had to stop looking for review copies at the moment because I don’t want to rush through the books I’m reading.

7: Do you prefer to read at home or elsewhere?

At home, because there’s less chance of messing up the book. However, if I’m going on a long journey I’ll definitely take several books with me – either in eBook form or physical copies, it depends on how long the journey is, how long I’ll be away and what form of transport I’ll be taking.

8: Read out loud or silently?

Silently. I don’t know anyone who prefers reading out loud – why would you do that? Unless it’s in class or reading out a passage as part of a speech or for analysis, but reading as a hobby is definitely something best done in your head.

9: Do you read ahead or skip the pages?

Sometimes by accident or if the book is super boring, my mind will wonder. I try to force myself to read each part at a time and not skim-read passages unless they’re quotes or extracts not particularly relevant to the story – I can always go back over these later if they become important.

10: Breaking the spine or keeping it new?

Keeping it new for as long as physically possible. I don’t like taking my books anywhere outside the house, especially when they’re large or hardcover, in case they get torn.

11: Do you write in your books?

Not unless it’s a book I’m studying (such as Wuthering Heights or poetry anthologies where I need to make annotations for study).